Staphylococcus aureus is a resourceful pathogen that can cause disorders ranging from minor superficial infections to more serious and potentially fatal infections such as endocarditis and septicemia. In spite of antibiotic therapy, the mortality associated with these conditions has not diminished, presumably because methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a major problem in hospitals. Alarmingly, MRSA has now emerged as a significant source of infections in communities worldwide, and the frequency of septicemia due to community acquired (CA) MRSA has been on the rise. In general, infections caused by S. aureus are generally difficult to treat, because these organisms are resistant to multiple antibiotics, and can form biofilms on the surface of the indwelling medical devices they infect.
Unfortunately, despite many attempts to prevent or treat the spread of this pathogen using antibiotic and non-antibiotic methods, there is still a need to develop new methods of controlling MRSA outbreaks and effectively treating those afflicted with MRSA infections and the pathogenic conditions caused thereby. It is therefore imperative that new strategies be developed which can address the critical problem of MRSA and particularly CA MRSA so as to stop or control outbreaks of this deadly pathogen in communities worldwide. In particular, it is highly desirable to develop treatments and compositions which can be useful in treating and preventing Staphylococcus aureus infections, particularly those caused by MRSA, and at the same time be useful in inhibiting the progression of staphylococcal infections in general.